TEARS FOR FEARS - SONGS FROM THE BIG CHAIR (1985) POLL

How do I know I didn't vote in this poll?
6. Broken – 0

Between the searching and the need to work it out
I stopped believing everything will be alright

I love the crazy fucking siren guitar, too! The whole song sounds like a really polite & clean mental breakdown.

And in that way I see the song as an extension of their stuff on "The Hurting" moreso than any other song on this album though.

This album is fucking great BTW! I love both of them all the way through.

Save The Robot once wrote that Donnie Darko makes Head Over Heels seem like the greatest song of the 80s.

I remember being taunted by a guy on my Little League team when I told him my sister had bought this record for me for my birthday. Can't remember what he said exactly but it was something along the lines of "faggot shit." Mind you, we were twelve...

If I'd voted in this poll when it happened, I more than likely would have voted 'The Working Hour'. Listening to it right this very moment, however, 'I Believe' is really really doing it for me.

"The Working Hour" is a really odd track for a big-selling album, don't you think?

It's always been a huge favourite of mine... the way it introduces itself with the saxophone and keyboards, then the programmed rhythm arrives and that big, powerful sounding piano.

You're kinda right in a way, for a big selling album this really only has three obvious singles on it: 'Shout', 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' and 'Head Over Heels', although I think 'Head Over Heels' loses something when taken in isolation, and it's best heard as part of the 'Broken'/'Head Over Heels'/'Broken (Live)' suite on the album.

'Mothers Talk' and 'I Believe' were both released as singles, and even though I like 'Mothers Talk' (that BIG drum sound) and I *LOVE* 'I Believe', I wouldn't have had either down as contenders to be released as singles. 'Broken' and 'Listen' could never have been singles in a million years.

The best parts of 'The Working Hour' for me are the build in the intro and the sheer power of the "find out... find out..." outro, rather than the actual SONG itself. I feel that editing it down would have proved to be a bit of a headache, and it would have been necessary to do so if they were going to put it out as a single. I definitely think it would lose something if those parts were fucked with in any way!!

In fact, I think I remember a review of a reissue of Songs From The Big Chair which described 'The Working Hour' as "over-inflated rot"... christ, no! Every single part of that song has a purpose!

Agreed. Even better, I had the UK cassette which had a bunch of bonus tracks including this version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4G6XYm8hoc

Thanks for that, I hadn't heard that version before! :D

The part of "The Working Hour" where the band does the Bo Diddley riff/rhythm = wow.

"Working Hour" might seem an outlier, but it underscores the innate proggy-ness of a lot of this stuff. If anything, it's a much better job of prog as pop than anything Genesis did in the '80s, save perhaps bits of "Invisible Touch." ("Broken" is a total "Invisible Touch" song.) I remember reading an interview with the drummer on this, Manny Elias, and he readily admitted copping all sorts of Collins stuff.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is one of the greatest singles of all time

'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' is such a great single, it got to #2 in the UK chart. Then, a year later, it was re-released as 'Everybody Wants To Run The World' as a charity single and got to #5. Both versions of the song re-entered the UK chart for a second time after they'd dropped out. Of course, 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World' was also an American #1.

During the early summer of '85 a brief window in the American charts allowed this and Paul Young's take on "Every Time You Go Away" to both hit #1; it was a flash of something ruminative and self-evaluating done at a Sirk-esque devotion to surfaces and decor.

The album itself had EXACTLY the same highest chart positions as 'Everybody Wants To Rule The World', funnily enough. #1 in the US, #2 in the UK. Both The Hurting and The Seeds Of Love made it to #1 in the UK, whereas Songs From The Big Chair didn't.

and neither of those albums hit #1 in the States. C'est la guerre...

It was held off the UK #1 spot by No Jacket Required, so I've just discovered. Ah well...

http://gs1.wac.edgecastcdn.net/8019B6/data.tumblr.com/9da1aac3899034701b5f117e08b2c172/tumblr_n0uo6szY3R1rjggr6o1_500.png

Jeez, no votes for "Mothers Talk"? At one point that was just barely behind "Shout" for me.

Nothing screams "this is a record made in 1984-1985" quite like the production job on 'Mother's Talk'.

Nothing screams 80s Genesis like "Mother's Talk."

Be that as it may, I still dig it. There's a at least half a dozen versions, too:

LP version
7" version
12" extended version
Beat Of The Drum mix
US remix
Alt US remix

I like this song and Genesis!

so did TFF lose fans for recording such a brazen arena move? It could've gone so wrong – it could have been Once Upon a Time.

Good question. I was a fan of "The Hurting" and loved SFTBC. I don't think fans felt it was as blatant a stadium move as Simple Minds. I was rather shocked at TFF's success in America. It's much more complex and lyrically daring than the top 40 of the time.

That "Everybody Rules the World" took off doesn't surprise me. Even now the band mixed the thing so that it jumps out of the speakers AND sounds nothing like ruled the charts in spring and summer '85.

In interviews, Roland has made it clear they aspired to chart success but not at the cost of their artistic souls.

Everybody Wants To Rule The World is one of the greatest singles of all time

― Master of Treacle, Monday, September 17, 2012 5:48 PM (1 year ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the first four songs even

instrumental of Everybody Wants to Rule the World is a balearic jam for the ages:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1dH5DUiZhg

BOX!

http://media.spincds.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/265x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/t/e/tears.jpg

DISC 1: Songs From The Big Chair
1. “Shout”
2. “The Working Hour”
3. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
4. “Mothers Talk”
5. “I Believe”
6. “Broken”
7. “Head Over Heels”
8. “Listen”
Bonus tracks:
9. “The Big Chair”
10. “Empire Building”
11. “The Marauders”
12. “Broken Revisited”
13. “The Conflict”
14. “The Working Hour” (Piano Version)
15. “Pharaohs”
16. “When In Love With A Blind Man”
17. “Sea Song”

DISC 2: Edited Songs From The Big Chair
1. “The Way You Are”
2. “Mothers Talk” (Single Version)
3. “Shout” (Single Version)
4. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Single Version)
5. “Head Over Heels” (Remix)
6. “I Believe” (A Soulful Re-Recording)
7. “Everybody Wants To Run The World”
8. “The Way You Are” (Short Version)
9. “Mothers Talk: (U.S. Remix)
10. “Shout” (U.S. Single Version)
11. “Everybody Wants To Run The World” (Running Version)
12. “Head Over Heels” (Radio Version)
13. “Mothers Talk” (Video Version)
14. “Shout” (Short Version)
15. “Listen” (Clean Intro)
15. Interview With Curt & Roland

DISC 3: Remixed Songs From The Big Chair
1. “The Way You Are: (Extended Version)
2. “Mothers Talk” (Extended Version)
3. “Shout” (Extended Remix Version)
4. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Extended Version)
5. “Broken/Head Over Heels/Broken” (Preacher Mix)
6. “Mothers Talk” (Beat Of The Drum Mix)
7. “Shout” (U.S. Remix)
8. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Urban Mix)
9. “Mothers Talk” (U.S. Remix Alternate)
10. “Shout” (Dub)
11. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Instrumental)
12. “Shout” (A cappella)

DISC 4: Unreleased Songs From The Big Chair
1. “Head Over Heels” (Richard Skinner Session)
2. “The Working Hour” (Richard Skinner Session)
3. “Broken” (Richard Skinner Session)
4. “Mothers Talk” (Live At Massey Hall)
5. “Broken/Head Over Heels” (Live At Massey Hall)
6. “Memories Fade” (Live At Massey Hall)
7. “The Working Hour” (Live At Massey Hall)
8. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Live At Massey Hall)
9. “Shout” (Live At Massey Hall)
10. “Mothers Talk” (Early Mix/Instrumental)
11. “The Way You Are” (Early Mix)
12. “Broken” (Early Mix)
13. “Shout” (Early Mix)
14. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Alternate Single Version)

DISC 5: DVD-A
5.1 and Stereo Mix
1. “Shout”
2. “The Working Hour”
3. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World”
4. “Mothers Talk”
5. “I Believe”
6. “Broken”
7. “Head Over Heels”
8. “Listen”

DISC 6: DVD
Documentary:
1. Scenes From The Big Chair – Documentary
2. Interview With Producer Chris Hughes
Promos:
3. “The Way You Are” (Music Video)
4. “Mothers Talk” (Alternative UK Video)
5. “Mothers Talk” (Music Video)
6. “Shout” (Music Video)
7. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Music Video)
8. “Head Over Heels” (Music Video)
9. “I Believe” (Music Video)
10. “Mothers Talk” (Music Video)
11. “Everybody Wants To Run The World” (Music Video)
BBC TV appearances:
12. “The Way You Are” (Top of the Pops)
13. “Mothers Talk” (Top of the Pops)
14. “Mothers Talk” (Top of the Pops)
15. “Shout” (Top of the Pops)
16. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Wogan)
17. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Top of the Pops)
18. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Top of the Pops)
19. “The Working Hour” (Wogan)

fuck that.

Spin has it for around £35, I don't know if that's accurate but they're not usually wrong.

Man, that's a lot of versions of "Shout".

A whole CD of edits of songs off the album. And then the supposed 'unreleased' songs are just live or session versions of songs off the album.

the 2 CD deluxe version is on Spotify.

and the docu is here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJiLCZh4gZc

14. “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” (Alternate Single Version)

This is so weird to hear after 30 years of hearing it without all the extra stuff plastered all over it.

This is pretty cool. Roland appears to have spent much more time in the sun than me:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4_mMl0B5mA

They sound great.

Brad, get in here.

Orzabal's voice hasn't diminished a single bit.

All this hullabaloo and no mention of the 10th anniversary of "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending".

Finished listening to the box. I couldn't do it all consecutively, though, that would've been too much.

I love the expanded album on disc 1, I bought the limited UK cassette when it came out and played it daily for a year and a half. The edits and mixes are alright, though I hate the "Urban Mix" of Everybody - it just adds pointless sax noodling. In the end I concluded that the album versions were definitive though I have a soft spot for the UK extended Shout.

The best bits are the unreleased stuff on disc 4. Interesting radio versions start it off, followed by some nice live takes. Everybody Wants is played like that stupid Urban Mix, though! Shout has almost metallic guitars and also silly sax bits added. The early mixes are interesting - The Way You Are has completely different lyrics and Shout is a bit flaccid, always cool the recognize how much a good producer adds.

Overall I'm glad I have this but it'll be years before I listen to this again.

One day it will be cheap in Fopp.

And then I will.. be in some other town and miss it as I get to fopp about once every 6 months thesedays,

Whats the SW remix of the album like?

I didn't listen to the 'new' stereo mix or the 5.1 mix. Honestly, not sure if I ever will, those are wasted on me.

I got the "Deluxe version" i.e. 2CD

CD1 is great, the album itself with a few added things

The CD2 is odd, the booklet has the tracklistings for CD1 and 2 from the box set, but the correct tracklistings are on the box etc.

I basically have to say: Boy, aren't the 12" versions of "Mothers Talk" and "Shout" awful?

Most of them seem to be on CD3 of the box, but.

It still surprises me that they managed to get a 6 disc set out of this album.

I remember in the liner notes to the deluxe edition they mention Steely Dan being an influence. I can’t really hear it, apart from maybe a comparable yearning in the vocals. And maybe “everybody wants to rule the world” was influenced a little by “I.G.Y.”?

not that influences have to be necessarily audible/perceivable

it’s funny how Depeche Mode were like “um we need to sound like this NOW” and got the same producer to make music for the masses

They always seem to ignore a track in these documentaries. Poor "Broken". The way it book-ends and extends "HOH" (and binds the whole of side two together) is a little bit brilliant in context, IMHO.

I was thinking wow Roland Beelzebub is looking quite old all of a sudden then a friend pointed out that he lost his wife suddenly a couple of years ago, poor guy :(

Yeah, sometime around late July of 2017, as far as I can remember? But don't worry, he's found a new love in a young woman named Emily and they're ENGAGED!

Back to the topic of this discussion, I'm glad a lot of y'all caught the Classic Albums episode. I've been meaning to catch the uploads of it available online but am suffering from a severe case of "too much to watch and too little time to watch it all"-itis right now and cannot watch it in its entirety yet, but the intro looked super promising. The fan community has been abuzz about them omitting Manny Elias from the discussion while also including Ian Stanley, and it was nice that they included Oleta Adams.

BTW, "Mothers Talk" is insanely good and I don't get why it didn't get any votes in the original poll.

Why wouldn't Ian Stanley be there? He co wrote almost every song, and played on every track.

Manny Elias missing is a better question. Sounds like the drums were a mixture of programmed and real playing, but the documentary (misleadingly?) implied Chris Hughes did a lot of the playing himself.

Oleta Adams looked fabulous.

Where is this doc? I can’t find it online.

It was this one if that helps:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000f8xc

Not on iPlayer anymore but you might be able to find a torrent

If you'd just asked two weeks ago it'd still be on iplayer!

I've found a torrent link for it so you should be able to get it

I have long been a stan for this hammered dulcimer version of EWTRTW - something about it really brings out the sweetness of the melody. I love when he hits that tuning peg like a metronome too. There's also a version where Curt Smith came to his house and sang over it, but I like it as an instrumental better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E6QOr-oCTwU

That's great

They're pretty lax with the DVDs of these things; the Amy Winehouse one was first broadcast years back and there's no sign of a release. Still haven't seen it, gah.

xp Yeah there are torents knoking about of the Big Chair one.